A Hunting on the Twenty Nine Mile We will Go.

Can start of one way, end the other. I’d a pretty busy day, what with bills to pay, doctors to visit, and of course the car. Well that needed to go service. So it did. Made and early start too, as it was foggy, yes foggy when I took off to the service centre.

However by the time I’d picked up the car in the mid afternoon, all the doom and gloom predictions of overcast, cold weather had slipped away with the cloud and we had a break of sunshine. “Let’s go for a quick look along The Twenty Nine Mile Road,” says EE. Twenty Nine is an extension inside the Western Treatment Plant that gives us good access to the paddocks without having to venture into the Plant proper.

Now my “Northern Exposure” readers probably think of evening as that lovely extended period they enjoy when the sun sets and it finally becomes dark. No such luck for us in my part of the Southern Hemisphere. Sunshine/Sunset Light/Dark. About as quick as that. So I wasn’t expecting much once the sun got very low on the horizon.

Until. A large grey cloud obscured the direct sunshine and a soft mellow light exuded around the cloud. Instant twilight.
And my old mate Orion—The Mighty Hunter, was out doing his even forage.

And now you’ll see why I really enjoy the options on the new Affinity Template.

Watching a hovering hunting Kite, Falcon or Kestrel is an awesome experience. Each turn of the wing, adjustment of the tail, swing of the feet or move of the head is all timed to give the bird the best chance of success. Normally on a blog like this, I suppose a video could show the continual action. But the softer light allowed me to make a number of shots of Orion at work, and the melded light just runs over each feather, highlighting, caressing kissing and stroking every feather for detail. And I can put up a number of them so you too can enjoy the light along those feathers.

And of course our hero’s action.

Enjoy

Swinging into action in the late evening light. Orion makes his presence felt.Poised in the air.Hmm, mouse tracks. This needs investigation. Long neck stretch to get the best angle.As they hover, they regularly put the head up, either to check all is clear, not predators, or to see what other opportunities might be presentEvening light on every active featherPearl on pearl.A Strike.! Now to find a perch suitable for enjoying the meal.This is so hard to describe, but as he went by me, I was pretty confident I knew which branch in the paddock he had chosen to enjoy his catchAnd.Here he is.Filled and satisfied for the moment, Orion too enjoys that last burst of sunshine under the cloudTime to hunt again, I’ve spoken before of Orion’s trust in his ability and in my presence. I get a flyby for my pleasure.Go boy Go. At this distance I could just about poke the lens at him.Even the mighty need a rest. With the last rays of sunshine rolling along the clouds, tis time to pause from all our labour.

Here is the set as a Slide Show

Swinging into action in the late evening light. Orion makes his presence felt.

Hmm, mouse tracks. This needs investigation. Long neck stretch to get the best angle.

Poised in the air.

Pearl on pearl.

Evening light on every active feather

As they hover, they regularly put the head up, either to check all is clear, not predators, or to see what other opportunties might be present

A Strike.! Now to find a perch suitable for enjoying the meal.

This is so hard to describe, but as he went by me, I was pretty confident I knew which branch in the paddock he had chosen to enoy his catch And. Here he is.

Filled and satisfied for the moment, Orion too enjoys that last burst of sunshine under the cloud

Time to hunt again, I’ve spoken before of Orion’s trust in his ability and in my presence. I get a flyby for my pleasure.

Go boy Go. At this distance I could just about poke the lens at him.

Even the mighty need a rest. With the last rays of sunshine rolling along the clouds, tis time to pause from all our labour.

Thanks Rodger. I have to admit I was already in going home mode as the grey was just grey, and then that little spread of light made all the difference. And we of course were near were he was a hunting.

Hello Eleanor, I guess I’ve become so familiar with this bird that I sort of expect it to just carry on and ignore me. I don’t mean that like I’m braggging, I’m pretty humbled that it as Jon Young says, “graces’ me.